The School Funding Thread- Merged

[UberCree]

>Solve this problem for me and I'll buy you the first three rounds.

1) If there is no tax base, from where is the current funding obtained?

2) There may be more to teacher retention than the wage gap (benefits? attitude of students? parental support? available resources?), but a $12K delta is about $500 per student in a class of 24.

3) What other privileges/benefits are in the band's power to grant to teachers as a condition of employment?

If money is truly a barrier, non-monetary benefits must be explored.  Among the reasons private schools can retain teachers while paying them less is that the students are somewhat better behaved and motivated than the general public school population.  I also suspect that more of the parents are directly involved and supportive.  If there are too many disruptive students and indifferent (to their children's behaviour) parents, your options are severely limited.

If there truly is no tax base, then the community is essentially in the same situation as every company ghost town I've ever seen, but for the grace of federal funding.  Reassign funding priorities.

Our funding comes from INAC (Band schools are a federal responsiblity) through the chief and council (who of course take an administrative fee).  The funding formula for First Nations educational authorities is astoundingly complex.  There is a base funding amount ~4,400, which has not changed since 1985, then additional base funds for special needs, this is all multiplied by an 'adjustment factor' depending on area, which is around 1.01 for us =~ $ 5200 per pupil + overall transport, counselling etc.  The funding is negotiated by transfer funding agreements either every 5 years or yearly (depending on how well run a bands finanace dept is) and increaes are fixed at a max increase of 2% annually.  Our population meanwhile is doubling every 13 years - between 1990 and 2003 we went from 2500 to 5000 members.  At one point in the 80's we were at comparable levels to the provincial system funding wise ... now we are way back.

There are multiple teacher retention issues beyond salary, the main one being policital interferance.  FN schools do not fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial public schools acts, so there is no real form of ensuring a standard is kept and zero accountability except through post-secondary success.  It is not uncommon for overcrowded schools to be constantly shut down because of mold problems, weather, politics.  There is nothing mandating 196 teaching days, certified teachers, etc.  We are adressing that by creating our own education act on my reserve to create internal accountability.  As an administrator with a school at double its intended capacity and funding levels far below our neighbours money is a big issue for me.  It is hard NOT to want to be political in this regard as I know the squeeky wheel getys the oil.  I also know most Canadians know nothing about First Nations educational issues.  All of the "free money" some complain about FN's getting is below what New York spends per pupil just for education, meanwhile we are forced to use it for health care, infrastructure, capital, policing, education, social assistance, housing, etc.
I am not one to whine, but when it comes to our education budget I cannot help it.

 

[Kirkhill]

Some pretty cogent whining UberCree.

An awful lot of overtones about self-governance, autonomy, resources, being part of the whole etc.

It comes down to something that Brad keeps coming back to how much risk are you willing to accept, how much material loss are you willing to sustain in the name of independence.  And that is a negotiation.

If I choose to live on an Island and look after myself I must be willing to accept that there is no hospital and that I may run out of coconuts some day or a wave may wash me overboard.

Conversely, if I want to pitch in with a bunch of people to afford a hospital, establish a food trading network and provide a rescue service then I have to prepared for them to come up with a solution that wouldn't be my preferred choice.  If I then choose to accept the solution regardless I also end up having to accept that they have a right to tell me how they will spend they money I have given them regardless of my input.  They also get to tell me how to live my life so that their solutions work.

I am pretty sure from your tone that you get that.  Your band politicians may even get that - but they, and the white politicians, don't seem to be doing a very good job of communicating that reality.

People everywhere are still looking for something for nothing.  Native schools, white schools, health care etc.

 

[UberCree]

Well the sh*t is hitting the fan on this issue here.  I talked to the CBC about an education act initiative we are beginning in our community and they took something I said way out of context.  It makes me look really bad.  My comment was that because of mold problems, overcrowding, underpaid teachers etc. some first nations schools are not open as many days as they should be ... in one extreme case the school was only open 76 days and there is no accountability measure in place to stop this from happening.  They opened with "First Nations schools open under 80 days, with unqualified teachers says XXXXXX XXXX the director of education for ....." 
I am going to have every single First Nations administrator and leader in the province severely pissed off at me.

 

[Brad Sallows]

A low-visibility problem rarely gets fixed.  Undoubtedly people will be pissed; they might have to divert funds from their own preferences.  Get it out in the open.  If children are receiving substandard education in unsafe facilities, grab the collective bureaucracy by the scruff of the neck and wipe their faces in it until they change their behaviour.  If this was about a dodgy water supply there wouldn't be so much hesitation; surely the spectacle of children being shortchanged in the great opportunity equalizer (education) is worth more displeasure.

Since INAC is your funding source (which I figured from your first post), then if it costs the province $X per student in your region (leaving out the large-scale costs like district boards), you should be asking for $X per student which covers each school building and everything in it, including upkeep.  The province probably has a better idea of how to run schools than the federal agency, so use their numbers.

 

[UberCree]

The problem for me lies in telling people who is responsible, we (as First Nations people) have to take responsibility ourselves in order to get anywhere.  INAC is responsible but so are we ... and when I say this publicly I lose support in my own community.  If you want support from the community you have to blame someone outside and have enemies (INAC) but to make real change we have to blame only ourselves.  This is the issue I am dealing with today as I feel like a traitor for speaking out ... it is not a good feeling. 
Sorry to have hijacked this thread but I am severly stressed about this right now, I think my job is now on the line.
Part of me says 'go on the offensive' and challenge anyone that questions me to prove a FN school cannot be open 30 days a year if it wanted to.  Part of me wants to retreat and shut the hell up, not cause any problems and smooth everything out ... just collect my paycheck and keep things the way they are.

 

[TCBF]

The problem for me lies in telling people who is responsible, we (as First Nations people) have to take responsibility ourselves in order to get anywhere.  INAC is responsible but so are we ... and when I say this publicly I lose support in my own community.  If you want support from the community you have to blame someone outside and have enemies (INAC) but to make real change we have to blame only ourselves.  This is the issue I am dealing with today as I feel like a traitor for speaking out ... it is not a good feeling. 
Sorry to have hijacked this thread but I am severly stressed about this right now, I think my job is now on the line.
Part of me says 'go on the offensive' and challenge anyone that questions me to prove a FN school cannot be open 30 days a year if it wanted to.  Part of me wants to retreat and shut the hell up, not cause any problems and smooth everything out ... just collect my paycheck and keep things the way they are.

-  You are certainly displaying leadership on this issue.  Unfortunately, leadership nowadays is so rare, most people don't recognize it.  That applies to all of Canada, not just First Nations.  Our municipalities are operating the same way. 

- I would not be surprised if more than a few people approached you and told you they agree, but, what can they do?  Well, they can be vocal, or just be 'silent partners'.  Everyone can support in their own way.  See if your supporters will approach other like-minded people in small groups - or even one on one - and talk to them about this.  Hang in there.  They need you.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

UberCree,
You and I have disagreed on a few things over the last few years but you always meant what you said and said what you meant and, even though I don't 'know' you, I do believe that if you say there is a problem, then there is a problem.

It would be too easy for me to say fall on your sword, but you must think of you and your families livlihood also.  Stay balanced, and good luck.................

 

[UberCree]

In the end nothing I said was false information and there is a dire problem that has to be faced.  Those around me here tell me I am over reacting and that the story was good.  I just do not like the fact that they focused in on one specific negative area. 

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

The media?...just focusing on the negative??........Hmmm, you should read the Ruxted articles.

That was the origin.